SECTION TWO PLAN DEVELOPMENT 2 Plan Development Management Planning is a dynamic and ongoing process. Planning is at different stages at different times. The following reference or guiding documents have provided direction or have influenced the development of this Detailed Forest Management Plan. 2.1 Reference and Guiding Documents Blue Ridge Lumber is aware of the following important National and Provincial documents and is incorporating many of these concepts in the development of the Detailed Forest Management Plan and other operating plans. This is accomplished through the adaptive, ecosystem management planning process. Environmental awareness is increasing globally. Alberta is moving from sustained yield timber management to sustainable forest management to ensure that ever increasing demands and uses of the forest do not compromise its continued health, economic, environmental, cultural and social values. Alberta began to recognize this in the late 1980’s when the Government appointed an Expert Panel on Forest Management to provide advice on the state of forest management in Alberta. The report titled: Forest Management in Alberta: Response to the Report of the Expert Review Panel outlines suggestions for integration, public involvement, Forest Conservation Strategy, planning, protected areas, timber management, reforestation and silviculture, inventory, research and department staffing, funding and organization. In 1992, the Prime Minister signed the Convention on Biological Diversity at the United Nations Conference on the Environment and Development UNCED (Earth Summit) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In the same year Alberta was a partner in the development of the National Forest Strategy and signed the Canada Forest Accord. Canada’s National Forest Strategy called for the development of a set of criteria and indicators for the conservation and sustainable development of Canada’s forests. This process was launched by the Canadian Council of Forest Ministers (CCFM) in 1993. In March 1995, after two years of nation-wide consultations, the CCFM issued a framework of Criteria and Indicators of Sustainable Forest Management in Canada. Two documents were released in 1996: CAN/CSA Z-808-96, A Sustainable Forest Management System: Guidance Document and CAN/CSA Z-809-96, A Sustainable Forest Management System: Specifications Document. The Canadian Biodiversity Strategy was also released in 1995. 23 In March 1995 Alberta’s Special Places 2000 Program was initiated to complete a network of landscapes that represent the environmental diversity of the Province’s 6 natural regions by December 2000. A report of the Future Environmental Directions for Alberta Task Force was presented in March 1995 titled Ensuring Prosperity: Implementing Sustainable Development. In May 1997 the Alberta Forest Conservation Strategy (AFCS) was signed presenting Alberta with a new way of viewing and caring for the forests in the Province of Alberta. The Alberta Forest Conservation Strategy aim is “to guide Albertans’ in the future use and appreciation of the province’s forests”. Included in the Strategy are a Vision, Goal, and six Principles. The Alberta Forest Legacy: Implementation Framework for Sustainable Forest Management. This document replaces the Alberta Forest Conservation Strategy and challenges us to look at a much broader landscape, and to blend consideration of all resource values when making management decisions. 24 2.2 Integrated Resource Management Plans Blue Ridge Lumber staff is knowledgeable and are committed to the planning hierarchy. Company plans, and operations, incorporate the objectives of applicable Integrated Resource Management Plans (IRP) and higher level planning documents. The hierarchy planning process is: • IRP information is used in the preparation of the DFMP level plans. (I.e. landscape level plans, and /or zones of primary use, conservation or protection etc.). • DFMP information is used in the preparation of the General Development Plan (GDP) level. (I.e. road construction and maintenance, access management, and season of harvest etc.). • GDP information is used in the preparation of the Annual Operating Plan (AOP) level. (I.e. stream crossings, timing of harvesting, cut block design, protected areas, riparian areas, etc.). The October 1996 Alberta Environmental Protection map shows the status of the Integrated Resource Management Plans in the Province. The Fox Creek Knight Integrated Resource Management Plan (IRP) overlaps the W1 and W2 Management Units and much of the ANC FMA area. The Fox Creek Knight IRP identifies the critical habitat needs of the Little Smoky River Caribou herd. The Fox Creek Knight IRP was never completed. ANC has developed the “Management Strategy Little Smoky River Corridor July 25, 1996” which includes the Little Smoky River Caribou. Blue Ridge Lumber has not operated in the W1 Management Unit caribou planning zone since 1992-93 when harvesting in the W1-L38 Coniferous Timber Quota License was completed. This license was cancelled August 24, 1995. There are no critical caribou zones in the Blue Ridge Lumber FMA area. The Blue Ridge Lumber FMA area is currently not covered by any Integrated Resource Management Plans. 2.3 Forest Management Planning Manual On September 10, 1997 the Alberta Forest Management Science Council forwarded a report titled Sustainable Forest Management – Advise on Timber Supply Protocols to the Alberta Sustainable Resource Development and the Interim Forest Management Planning Manual – Guidelines to Plan Development was released in April 1998. This Detailed Forest Management Plan is developed in accordance with the Interim Forest Management Planning Manual. Blue Ridge Lumber has incorporated many of the elements and requirements from the Alberta Forest Management Planning Standard Version 3, June 2005. The planning standard is located at: http://www3.gov.ab.ca/srd/. 25 The Detailed Forest Management Plan is developed in a series of planning stages that are progressively reviewed and approved by different levels within the Department of Sustainable Resource Development. The Woodlands Forest Area is the “one window” for the coordination of forest management plan review and approval. 2.4 Terms of Reference The “Terms of Reference” (TOR) was submitted for approval in accordance with the Forest Management Planning Manual. The terms of reference is “the plan to do the plan,” and describes how the plan will be developed, what products will be produced, by whom, when and why. It is the process by which approval is given to begin the forest management planning process. The Terms of Reference was submitted April 1, 1997 and signed off by the Regional Board of Directors and Environmental Committee, Alberta Environmental Area Managers, and the Director of Fisheries and Wildlife Management Division. The Terms of Reference was approved by the Regional Director in consultation with the Forest Management Division on December 15, 1997. The terms of reference was presented to the Regional Forest Advisory Committee on January 27, 1998. 2.5 Public Involvement Process Forests are an integral part of the political, social, economic and cultural fabric of Canada and Alberta. There has been a dramatic growth in the forest industry in Alberta over the past several years. Between 1986 and 1994, there was approximately $4 billion of new investments by the forest industry in the Province of Alberta. Approximately 100% of the conifer AAC and the deciduous AAC in the Province are currently allocated, and most of this publicly owned land is being managed on behalf of the public by the forest industry. Public involvement is a requirement of the Detailed Forest Management Plan process. Blue Ridge Lumber recognizes this important aspect and since the late 1980’s Blue Ridge Lumber has invited public participation to identify community values to be included in our Detailed Forest Management Plans, and Annual Operating Plans. Since 1990 the Company has invited the public to attend our Woodlands Open House Meetings which are advertised in local newspapers 26 annually. Open House Meetings have traditionally been held in Whitecourt, Swan Hills, Fort Assiniboine, Fox Creek, and Niton Junction usually in the month of May. Blue Ridge Lumber also contacts special interest groups such as trappers, outfitters and guides and snowmobile associations to explain current year operations and planned 5-year general development plans. Our public involvement program has six main components: 1. The Annual Open House process was started in the late 1980’s. It involves advertising to the public, contacting commercial and non-commercial stakeholders by letter and phone to ensure that they are aware of the opportunity to provide input and comments to the various Company plans. Open houses are held in Swan Hills, Fort Assiniboine, Whitecourt, Fox Creek and Niton Junction during the month of May each year prior to the commencement of summer operations. 2. The Whitecourt Regional Forest Advisory Committee represents a broad spectrum of community interests. ANC Timber Ltd., Blue Ridge Lumber Inc., Millar Western Forest Products Ltd. and Mostowich Lumber Ltd. joined together to “customize” a plan for public involvement in forest planning for the Whitecourt, Swan Hills, and Fox Creek areas. A major part of this customized plan came from the communities in 1996, when Blue Ridge Lumber asked for public input into the design of a public involvement process. This customized plan is intended to eliminate the duplication of effort